THREE young Wirral men armed with an air rifle pretending to be SAS soldiers on a night-time exercise terrified campers at a local beauty spot, a court has heard.

In separate incidents, people camping at Thurstaston encountered the youths, faces hidden by balaclavas and wearing combat clothing, and were threatened with being shot.

In the first incident a group of seven people, including two young children, were walking along the beach when they heard noises and saw three heads duck down on the cliff above them. Two people, Jonathon Finn and James Emmerson, came down and shouted at the group not to move.

One of the two men shouted for them to stand still or they would "blow your brains out" and Emmerson pointed a gun at them. The children were hysterical, said Graham Pickavance, prosecuting.

Finn claimed they were in the SAS on an exercise and told them they should not be there as they were using live ammunition. The group left the area and one called police.

Officers arrived to talk to the group at the site when another group of campers heard a noise and saw Adrian Hagan emerge from a bush with a rifle.

Finn, 21, of Larchwood Drive, Bebington and Hagan, also 21, of Town Lane, Bebington, pleaded guilty to two affrays and Emmerson, 20, of Liversedge Road, Tranmere, pleaded guilty to one affray.

Emmerson given a 100-hour community punishment order with a 12-month community rehabilitation order. Finn and Hagan received a 200-hour community punishment order. All must pay £150 costs each.